Collapsible buoyant device



March 26, i963 M. M. KAHN coLLAPsIBLE BUOYAN': DEVICE Filed Aug. 14, 1961 'LIF INVENToR.

Marvin M. Kahn @l/3 9. wl/e4- ATTORNEY United States Patent O ce 3,032,441 CLLAPSIBLE BUYANT DEVICE Marvin M. Kahn, Trenton, NJ., assigner to The Acme- Hamilton Manufacturing Corp., Trenton, NJ., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Aug. 14, 1%1, Ser. No. 131,318 7 Claims. (Cl. 9-11) This invention relates to collapsible buoyant devices, and more particularly concerns rafts, floats and the like.

Known buoyant devices which may be collapsed or folded when not in use, to decrease their bulk for storage or convenient transportation, take the form of inflatable rafts or collapsible folding boats. Inflatable rafts, made of coated fabrics have little structural rigidity, even when inflated, and their ystability and maneuverability in water, is severly limited, particularly as compared to that of conventional boat designs. Furthermore, such rafts require either hand pumps or compressed gas cartridges to inilate the same. In either case, full inllation of a reasonably sized raft will take a considerable time.

Collapsible boats are based on a rather complex design of a jointed frame Work of wood and metal, and an associated skin of coated fabric. While such boat may be collapsed to materially reduce the bulk thereof, erection of the frame and application of the skin fabric thereto, is an involved, time consuming operation. Also, the complex details of fthe framework may present diiculties in the assembly operation, and thus further delay the erection of the same. Folding boats are necessarily relatively high in cost.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide an improved buoyant device such as a raft, which is of simplitled construction; is collapsible to a condition of minimized bulk to facilitate storage or transportation thereof; and is quickly extended from its collapsed condition to its operative form; andwhich is economical to manufacture.

Another lobject of this invention is to provide a buoyant raft having expansible float members which are collapsible when the raft is not in use, -said float members being self inilating to quickly place the raft in an operative condition.

A further object of this invention is to provide a raft comprising a plurality of platform sections interconnected in a manner to allow the same to be Imaterially reduced in bulk when the same is not in use, together with float means extending between the oat sections and being self expanding when the platform sections are permitted to be extended to their operative condition.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a raft of the character described, wherein the platform sections may be extended from their folded or collapsed condition to form a structure simulating more conventional boat structures and thereby impart to the raft improved stability' and maneuverability in water.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

in the drawings, FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a raft embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2*2 of FlG. l;

FIG. 3 is an end -view of the raft in its collapsed condii tion;

PIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a detail of the float portion thereof;

FIG. 5 is an end view ofthe raft in an alternative panel relationship; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of yanother form of raft.

Essentially, the collapsible buoyant device of the instant invention comprises a platform portion and float means for main-taining the platform portion above the wa- 3,982,441 Patented Mar. Z, 1953 Z ter. The platform portion is made up of a plurality of sections which are foldable or otherwise reducible in bulk for storage or transportation, yet are readily extended for use.

The oat means tak-e the form of flexible tubular conduits which are longitudinally extendible and contractible; such conduits interconnecting the platform sections in a manner to cause contraction of the conduits when the platform sections are folded to their collapsed condition, and being self .inflating to their extended condition when the platform sections are permitted to unfold; the extension of :the conduits automatically causing the platform Sections to assume their operative condition.

Thus, as shown in FIG. 1, 10 designates a raft embodying the invention. The same comprises a platform 11 made up of a pair of panels or sections 12, 13 of rectangular shape which are hinged 'together along opposed longitudinal edges 14, 15 thereof, by hinges 16, 17. The panels 12, 13 may thu-s be folded toward each other to reduce their bulk. Panels 12, 13 are formed yof wood, ycomposition board suitably waterproofed or of other suitable panel material. The platform panels 12, 13 are further interconnected by oat means generally indicated at 18. Such float means takes the form of hose or ducting which may be resiliently and longitudinally compressed to 1A. or less of its fully extended, normal length. Thus, float means comprises a helical wire reinforcement 19 having longitudinally spaced convolutions which are encased in rubber or plastic coated fabric 20.

The ducting forming float means 18 is made by conventional procedures Well known in the art, -as by helically winding the coated fabric 20 in tape form, together with wire 19 over a mandrel to provide fabric plies above and below the wire 19, followed by suitable corrugating and curing procedures known in the art. The wire 19 has a small diameter compared to the pitch of the helical wire i convolutions, thus allowing for substantial longitudinal compressibility `and resilient elongation thereof. Wire 19 may be of galvanised high tensile steel or of a tough plastic such as polypropylene.

Float means 18 are disposed transversely of the hinged edges 14, 15 of panels 12, 13 and are secured at their opposite ends 21, 22, to the underside 23 of said panels and `adjacent their outer longitudinal edges 24, 25 respectively. Securement of the float ends to the panels 12, 13 is facilitated iby discs 26, 27 having a diameter equal to the LD. of the float means. Discs 26', 27 are secured to the underside of panels 12, 13 and float ends 21, 22 are in turn secured to the respective discs by adhesive or the like.

Disc 27 is perforated as at 28 and panel 13 is formed with a through opening 29 registering with perforation 28, to establish `an air inlet and Ioutlet for float means 18, for the purpose hereinafter appearing.

Float means 18 are of a diameter and length, as well as num-ber and distribution, to provide suhicient buoyancy for a given load when device 1t) is in the water. By doubling the diameter and length of the ioat means, the buoyancy factor is increased 8 times.

When device 10 is not in use, the panels 12, 13 are folded toward each other, `as shown in FIG. 3, thereby compressing float means 18 therebetween. A cord "30 extending between eyes 31 on the end edges 32, 33 of panels 12, 13, hold the panels in their folded condition, thereby facilitating the storage or transportation thereof.

When device 10 is to be put to use, restraining cord 30 is removed and floats 18 will extend longitudinally and simultaneously displace the folded panels 12, 13 away from each other. Preferably, as shown in FIG. 2, panels 12, 13 are disposed in a dihedral relation and retained in such relationship by cord 30. With panels dihedrally `tion by suitable detent means, not shown.

related, the device it) when in Water takes on some of the characteristics of a conventional boat structure, making it more stable and easier to maneuver.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 5, the panels 12, 13 may be left in their coplanar relation. The length and extensibility of float means 18 are selected so as to allow the panels 12, 13 to assume such coplanar relation, in the normal extended condition of said float means.

It will be apparent that Vwhen panels 12, 13 are folded toward each other, collapsing the iioats 18 therebetween, air from Within said oats can escape by Way of the registering openings, 28, 29. Also, when the folded panels are reiieved of their restraint, the self inflation of floats 18 through airl admitted to the interior thereof by way of openings 28, 29, will permit the automatic extension of the floats and displacement of the folded `panels. A removable plug 34 in each of the openings 29 will prevent leakage of Water into floats 18.

The buoyant raft of the instant invention, may take an alternative form, asshown in FIG. 6, wherein platform 11A. is not only foldable yas previously described, but is also longitudinally contractible, thereby further Vreducing the bulk of the device when the same is not in use.

Thus, platform 11A comprises a pair ofV frame members 35, 36 which are telescopically related and also foldable. Frame member 3S comprises parallel tubular members 37, 38 and 39 which are closed at their outer ends and open at their inner ends. The outer member 37 and intermediate member 38 `are xedly interconnected by cross struts di), 41 which are welded in place at their outer ends as at 42 and have collars 43 at their inner ends which encircle member 38 and are welded thereto.

Outer member 39 is hingedly related to intermediate member 38 by means of cross struts 48A, 41A which are welded at their outer ends to member 39, while their inner ends include collars 43A which are rotatable with respect to intermediate member 38.

Frame 36 comprises similar tubular members 37A, 38A and 39A, also closed at their outer ends and open at their inner ends which .are telescopically received in the open ends of members 37, 38 and 39 respectively. Outer member 37A and intermediate member 38A are xedly interconnected by a cross strut 44 by welding at its outer end 4,5 and a collar 46 on its inner end Welded in place on member 38A. Outer member 39A is hingedly connected to intermediate member 38A by a cross strut 44A which is welded at its outer end to member 39A and has a collar 46A on its inner end which is rotatably mounted on member 38A; the enlarged end of member 38A keeping collar 46A in place.

It will be apparent that frame members 36, 35 may be telescoped to reduce their longitudinal dimension, and further folded to reduce their transverse dimension, the teiescoped members being held iu their extended condi A canvas 47 or other suitable platform covering may be stretched over frame members 35, 36 and detachably held in place by snaps indicated at 48. Floats 18 are secured to the underside of `frame members 35, 35 by means of end discs 49. The canvas 47 will hold frame members 35, 36 in their dihedral relation or coplanar relation in accordance with the predetermined width of the canvas.

It is understood that the number of float means 18 used to render platforms 11, 11A buoyant may be varied in accordance with the load to be carried and the overall dimensions of the platforms. While oat means 18 is shown asa combination of helical wire reinforcement and a coated fabric carcass enclosing the same, the, iioat lmeans may take other forms.

Thus, the oat means may be formed of tubular plastic such as polypropylene which is premolded to provide a helically corrugated wall whereby to render the same lon` gitudinally compressible to a fraction of its normal ex- 4itended length, the tubing extending in a resilient manner vfrom its compressed state.

As various changes might be made in the embodiments of the invention herein disclosed Without departing from the spirit thereof, it is understood that all matter shown or described herein shall be deemed illustrative and not limiting except as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A water buoyant device comprising platform means including a pair of movably interconnected members foldable toward each other and float means for supporting said platform means, said oat means comprising a plurality of flexible, longitudinally compressible and extensible tubular members extending transversely of the foldable connection between said interconnected members, means for fixing one transverse end portion of said tubular members to the underside of one of said platform members, and means for securing the other transverse end portion of said tubular members in the extended condition thereof to the underside of the other of said platform members.

2. A Water buoyant device comprising platform means and float means for supporting said platform means, said platform means comprising a plurality of hingedly interconnected members foldable toward each other, said float means comprising a longitudinally and resiliently compressible and extensible tubular member having one transverse end portion thereof secured to the underside of one of said platform members and the other transverse end portion thereof secured to the underside of the other of said platform members, said tubular member being disposed relative to the fold line of said platform members whereby hinged movement of said members toward each other will longitudinally compress said tubular member to substantially reduce the normal length thereof and to decrease the volume thereof, and hinged movement of said platform members away from each other will automatically extend said tubular member longitudinally to increase the volume thereof.

3. A buoyant device comprising a pair of platform members, means hinging said members together for relative movement toward and away from each other, float means comprising liexible, resiliently and longitudinally compressible and extensible tubular members, said members having one tubular end thereof secured to the underside of one of said platform members and the other tubular end thereof secured to the underside of the other of said platform members, means'for venting said tubular members at one end thereof, said platform members being movable toward each other into folded form, said tubular members being longitudinally compressed in re sponse to the movement of said platform members toward each other, the air within said tubular members escaping through said vent means, and means for retaining said platform members in their folded condition whereby removal of said retaining means will automatically cause said compressed tubular members to resiliently elongate from their compressed condition and to move said platform members away from each other to an unfolded relationship thereof.

4. A device as in claim 3 wherein said platform members upon movement away from each other are disposed in dihedral relation to each other, and means for retaining said platform members in their dihedral relation. 5. A buoyant device comprising a pair of platform panels, means for hinging said panels along opposed long1tudinal edges thereof, oat means comprising a flexible, resilient, water impervious tubular member having a corrugated Wall structure to allow for resilient longitudinal compression and expansion to vary the volume thereof, said tubular member having one transverse tubular end thereof secured to the underside of one panel and the other transverse tubular end'thereof secured to the underside of the other panel, said tubular member extending substantially transversely of the hinged connection of said panels, vent means in one of said panels communicating the interior of said tubular member, said .panels being hingedly movable between a folded, compacted condition for storage and transportation, to an extended unfolded operative condition while said tubular member passes between longitudinally compressed and longitudinally eX- panded conditions.

6. A device as in claim 5 wherein said platform panels comprise longitudinally extensible and contractible frame members which are extended in their operative condition and contracted in their inoperative, bulk reducing condition.

7. A buoyant device comprising platform means and oat means for supporting said platform means, said platform means comprising .a pair of frame sections having parallel tubular members in respectively longitudinally telescoped relation, each frame section comprising laterally related and hingedly connected portions whereby said platform means may be longitudinally telescoped and folded to reduce the bulk thereof, and means for retaining said frame sections in their unfolded and extended condition; said float means comprising a longitudinally compressible and extendible tubular member having the opposite transverse tubular ends thereof respectively secured to the underside of said hinged frame sections whereby said tubular member is longitudinally compressed between said hinged sections when said sections are folded toward each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 23,595 Martin Apr. 12, 1859 449,354 Speirs Mar. 3l, 1891 793,230 Rosenberg June 27, 1905 2,745,118 Potts et al. May 15, 1956 

1. A WATER BUOYANT DEVICE COMPRISING PLATFORM MEANS INCLUDING A PAIR OF MOVABLY INTERCONNECTED MEMBERS FOLDABLE TOWARD EACH OTHER AND FLOAT MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID PLATFORM MEANS, SAID FLOAT MEANS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF FLEXIBLE, LONGITUDINALLY COMPRESSIBLE AND EXTENSIBLE TUBULAR MEMBERS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE FOLDABLE CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID INTERCONNECTED MEMBERS, MEANS FOR FIXING ONE TRANSVERSE END PORTION OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBERS TO THE UNDERSIDE OF ONE OF SAID PLATFORM MEMBERS, AND MEANS FOR SECURING THE OTHER TRANSVERSE END PORTION OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBERS IN THE EXTENDED CONDITION THEREOF TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE OTHER OF SAID PLATFORM MEMBERS. 